Thoughts on Meetings

Want to make your meetings more productive & engaging? This new blog is devoted to providing you with tips and tools to do just that…to help you meet less and get more things done. So if you lead meetings follow any one of our tips or tools and your meetings will become better… follow many of these tips and tools and your meetings will become dramatically better. We want people enjoy your meetings.

A study from Martiz Travel/Institute and Cornell Center for Hospitality Research, based on science, found that face-to-face meetings are best when the goal is to 1) Capture attention, 2) Inspire a positive climate, and 3) Build personal networks and relationships. See this article

How effective a meeting will be depends on the tone set in the first few minutes…and it’s up to the person running it to set that tone. Quick Meeting Openers for Busy Managers gives readers the tools, activities, and advice they need to create the kind of open, energetic, and relaxed atmosphere that lead to effective meetings and serious results. Designed to take the anxiety out of meet­ings and encourage creative and practical discussion, the book contains meeting starters that will help managers, team leaders, and facilitators:

* ease introductions for people who don’t know each other * warm up the group before moving them into more difficult territory * generate lively dialogue and sharing of ideas * effectively split attendees up into work groups * expedite brainstorming and promote problem-solving * and more For anyone charged with the task of running meetings, this book is the answer.

XemiComputers Minutes Of Meeting Recorder
This program allows you to take meeting minutes through recording discussion and adding text summaries.The audio recorder built in the program saves each new recording as a separate section and offers real-time OGG audio compression and voice operated recording mode.It also features transcription playback mode, audio editor for making cut-outs, Exact Time Positioner (ETP) bar for quick and precise positioning within a recorded section, mouse wheel support and a selection of keyboard shortcuts with the most important controls available in off-focus mode and accessible while working with other programs.

Here’s an app that pays for 12 iPads the very first time you use it. Buy one iPad for every single chair in your meeting room… like the projector and the table, it’s part of the room. From Seth Godin: Click here

The daily stand-up meeting (also known as a “daily scrum”, a “daily huddle”, a “morning roll-call”, etc.) is simple to describe: the whole team meets every day for a quick status update. We stand up to keep the meeting short. That’s it. But this short definition does not really tell you the subtle details that distinguish a good stand-up from a bad one.

Ignite is a geek event in over 100 cities worldwide. But really it is a process for people to share ideas and perspectives. Presenters share their personal and professional passions. The format is simple: The presenter has only 5 minutes to use 20 slides that are auto-advanced every 15 seconds. I suggest you use this in your meetings.